Safetypin



Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETYPIN William C. Lockwood, Chicago, Ill. Application February 10, 1936, Serial No. 63,102 13 Claims. (Cl. 24-158) This invention relates to a new and improved spectively in Figure 1. Right angle bends are clasp pin and the method of making the same. made in these two extended portions forming a It is an object of the present invention to prolongitudinally extending back member and a vide a pin capable of securing together penetrable front member 6. The front member 6 is consid- 5 materials, such as fabrics, which will be securely erably shorter than the back member 5 and has and permanently fixed in position and held a point i. The back member 5 is extended foragainst acidental opening thereof. Wardly and is bent to form a U-bend 8 in the It is another object of this invention to provide head of the pin and terminates at 9 in such a a pin of the safety type which will not present an manner that the termination point 9 thereof is in l0 unguarded pointed member even when the catch close juxtaposition to the point portion 1 on the 10 member is disengaged. front member 6. A sheet metal clasp member Il) It is a further object of this invention to prois formed to embrace the head portion 8 of the vide a safety pin which may be used in connecwire. The clasp l0 is provided with two tubular tion with clothing wherein the pointed member portions ll and l2 respectively which slidably emi thereof cannot become disengaged so as to puncbrace the straight portions of the U-shaped bend ture the flesh accidentally. 8 in the wire of the pin. A small depression I3 Numerous other objects and advantages will is made in this clasp member. The clasp memmore fully appear during the course and progress ber is also provided With an @XM1/riding lip I4 of the following specification. which is adapted to overlie the pointed portion 'l Figure 1 is a perspective View of one preferred of the front member E of the pin when the clasp is 2o embodiment of the present invention. in engaged position. A second depression l5 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodimay be formed in the underside of the clasp ment shown in Figure 1 with the slidable clasp member as is more clearly shown in the cross member in disengaged position. sectional view, Figure 5. An upturned lip I6 is Figure 3 is a perspective detail view of the head formed in the inside portion of the clasp member 25 of the pin shown in Figures i and 2 with the slidso as to form a closure therefor. A brace memable catch member removed. ber Il is provided. This brace member is made Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternative form 0f a thin sheet of metal and is adapted to be oi spring portion which may be used in conneccurled about the back member of the pin 5 as 3o tion with the present invention. shown at I8. The brace is preferably provided 3o Figure 5 is a cross section View of the head of with an extended portion I9 which is curled the embodiment shown in Figure 1 about line 5--5 about the termination of the U-bend in the Wire of Figure l. at the head of the pin at its termination point r9 Figure 6 is a cross section view oi the head poras shown at 20 in Figure 3. This brace member tion or the embodiment shown in Figure 2 about extends across the inner plane of the pin be- 35 line 6 5 oi Figure 2. tween the back member 5 and the iront member Figure 'I is atransverse cross section view of the 6 and has an open faced channel portion 2l member of the embodiment in Figure 2 about line formed therein in which channel portion the 'i-l of Figure 2. pointed member 1 of the iront'member 6 of the 40 Figure 8 is a cross section view oi an alternative pin will lie. The spring loop 2 at the end of the 40 form oi brace member which may be used in conpin is so arranged that the normal springing nection with the present invention. tendency thereof is to draw the front member 6 Figure 9 Vis a cross section view of another aland the back member 5 toward each other. Thus, ternative iorm of brace member which may be the pointed portion 'l of the iront member will 1.3 used in connection with the present invention. normally be springingly held Within the channel l 5 Figure 10 is a cross section view of an alterna- 2l of the brace Il. The clasp portion is slidable tive form of slidable catch member which may along the head of the pin toward and away from be used in connection with the present invention. the brace member. The depressions'lS and l5 in The embodiment of the present invention the clasp member are so arranged that they do 5o shown in Figure l comprises a spring wire memnot meet, but leave a free space 22 therebetween. 5o ber i whichis preferably made of suitable spring The metal out of which this clasp is made preferbrass wire oi desired gauge and may be circular ably has some springing characteristic so that in cross section. The wire is bent in a continuwhen the clasp is in engaged position, as shown ous spring loop 2, the ends of which are carried in Figure 1, that portion of the wire of the pin forwardlyv from the U as shown at 3 and 4 rewhich forms the Uebend will lie in the enlarged .55

, Venting any furthe` portion 23 of the clasp member. The edges 24 and 25 respectively of the depressions I3 and I5 respectively will tend to hold the clasp in the engaged portion against unauthorized slipping backwardly into disengaged position. When it is desired to disengage the clasp, the clasp may be manually moved backwardly away from the brace member whereupon the U-bend 8 will force the depressions I3 and i5 outwardly, thereby enlarging the space 22 and allowing the catch to slide backwardly over the loop portion 8 until the loop portion 8 slips into the enlarged channel 2B which lies forward of the depressions I3 and I5 respectively as shown in Figure 6. The lip portion I5 is bent upwardly forming a closure and preretraction of the clasp. When this occurs the depressions I3 and I5 tend to spring back into their original position, narrowing downthe intervening space 22 and holding the clasp in disengaged position until such time as it is desired to manually force it back into engaged position again. This retraction of the clasp member brings the lip I4 thereof backwardly along the open faced channel 2I, thereby exposing the pointed portion 'I of the front member 6 of the pin. The length of the lip I4 is so adjusted with respect to the amount of slidable movement of the clasp member so that the pointed portion 'i of the pin will be entirely free from engagement therewith so that it may be manually withdrawn from the confines of the open faced channel member 2l. It should be noted that the action of the spring loop 2 is such as to maintain the point of the pin in the open faced channel even though` the clasp has been moved into disengaged position.

Other modifications of the present invention may be employed. Thus, for instance, the spring loop 28 shown in Figure 4, may be substituted for the spring loop 2 previously described. This spring loop comprises a circular loop 29 and a triangular loop 30, thereby providing a sort of double spring action of greater strength and symmetry. Similarly variations may be made in the brace member I'I such as that shown in Figures 8 and 9. The brace member shown in Figure 8 comprises a continuous piece of sheet metal 3l which is Similarly curled about the pin member and is brought downwardly to make a closed structure in the area of the open faced channel portion 2 l. The brace member shown in Figure 9 is a solid molded structure in which the open faced channel 2l is molded at one end and the pin embracing portion 32 is molded at the other end of an intermediate web portion 33. It is also possible to form a slidable clasp member similar to that shown in Figures l and 2 with only one depression. ThisV is illustrated in cross section in Figure l0 and comprises a sheet metal clasp member Si! similar in essential details to the member I!! in Figures l and 2. This particular embodiment, however, is provided with only one depression 35 in the head thereof, the other face of Ythe clasp member being a. plain surface 36. 'Ihe intervening space 3'! in this embodiment corresponds to the intervening space 32 in the previously described embodiment and the action thereof is substantially similar.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacricing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l. A safety pin having two parallel legs, a coiled spring at one end of the pin integrally formed with said legs, a head portion at the other end of the pin and formed by reversely bending one of said legs to form a reversely extending, parallel portion normally registering with the other leg, an open faced channel disposed in the head with its open face directed outwardly, for receiving one leg of the pin and maintaining the legs substantially parallel, a clasp member on the head and slidable longitudinally along both of said parallel, spaced portions of the head in juxtaposition to the channel portion in the head and adapted to be moved toward and away from said channel member so as to form a closure therefor.

2. A safety pin having tivo parallel legs, a spring at one end of the pin formed with said legs, a head portion at the other end of the pin, an open faced outwardly disposed channel in the head and in spaced relationship to one of said legs, for receiving the other leg of the pin, said spring being tensioned to urge the leg into the channel, a clasp member movable on the head in juxtaposition to the channel portion in the head and adapted to be moved toward and away from said channel member so as to form a closure therefor, and means integrally formed in said clasp member for holding it selectively in closed and open position with respect to the channel, said other leg of the pin being freely seatable in the channel at all times and being retained solely by said clasp member.

3. A safety pin having two parallel legs, a coiled spring at one end of the pin integrally formed with said legs, a head portion at the other end of the pin, an open faced outwardly disposed channel in the head and in spaced relationship to one of said legs, for receiving the other leg of the pin and maintaining the legs substantially parallel, a clasp member movable on the head in juxtaposition to the channel portion in the head and adapted to be moved toward and away from said channel member so as to form a' closure therefor, said coiled spring operating to normally force the leg members toward each other, said other leg of the pin being freely seatable in the channel at all times and being retained solely by said clasp member.

4. A safety pin comprising parallel legs connected together, a spring loop, one of said legs being longer than the other and bent in a reverse U-shape to form a head portion, the other leg being pointed, a clasp member slidable along the U-bend of the longer leg, a brace member rigidly secured to the longer leg intermediate of its length and extending across the head portion of the pin in the plane of the U-shaped bend, being secured at its other end to the free end of the U-shaped bend and having an open faced channel portion adapted to receive the shorter leg of the pin.

5. A safety pin comprising parallel legs connected together, a spring loop, one of said legs being longer than the other and bent in a reverse U-shape to form a head portion, the other leg being pointed, a clasp member slidable along the U-bend of the longer leg, a brace member rigidly secured to the longer leg intermediate of its length and extending across the head portion of the pin in the plane of the U-shaped bend, being secured at its other end to the free end of the U-shaped bend and having an open faced channel portion adapted to receive the shorter leg of the pin, said clasp member being adapted to slide over the open faced channel to form a closure therefor.

6. A safety pin comprising parallel legs connected together, a spring loop, one of said legs being longer than the other and bent in a reverse U-shape to form a head portion, the other leg being pointed, a clasp member slidable along the U-bend of the longer leg, a brace member rigidly secured to the longer leg intermediate of its length and extending across the head portion of the pin in the plane of the U-shaped bend, being secured at its other end to the free end of the U-shaped bend and having an open faced channel portion adapted to receive the shorter leg of the pin, said spring loop being adapted to force the parallel legs toward each other.

7. A safety pin comprising parallel legs connected together, a spring loop, one of said legs being longer than the other and bent in a reverse U-shape to form a head portion, the other leg being pointed, a clasp member slidable along the U-bend of the longer leg, a brace member rigidly secured to the longer leg intermediate of its length and extending across the head portion of the pin in the plane of the U-shaped bend, being secured at its other end to the free end of the U-shaped bend and having an open faced channel portion adapted to receive the shorter leg of the pin, said clasp member being adapted to slide over the open faced channel to form a closure therefor, said spring loop being adapted to force the parallel legs toward each other.

8. In a device of the character described, a spring loop comprising a single circular loop having two respective ends extending outwardly therefrom, said respective outwardly extending ends being bent toward each other and extending in such a direction so as to overlie each other for a part of their length, while extending in a relatively straight line, each of said extensions being then bent forwardly in a direction away from the circular loop to form substantially parallel members.

9. A brace member for a safety pin comprising a web having a flat web portion, a retaining portion at one end of the web and an open faced channel formed at the other end of the web, said open faced channel facing outwardly from the web portion.

10. A brace member for a safety pin comprising a relatively thin sheet of metal having a cross section in the shape of a V in which the open branches of the V are closed by an inwardly extending U-shaped loop and in which the pointed end of the V has formed therein a substantially circular retaining recess.

1l. In a safety pin having substantially parallel legs, a head comprising a web member extending from one leg of the pin a predetermined distance and bearing upon its free end a channel member for the reception of the other leg and for maintaining the legs parallel when so arranged, and a latch member engaging said head and slidable longitudinally to a position enclosing said channel whereby to latch said leg in place.

12. In a safety pin having substantially parallel legs, a head comprising a web member extending from one leg of the pin a predetermined distance in the plane of said pin and having formed on its outer free edge a longitudinally extending channel member opening outwardly and having a rear surface against which to accommodate the other leg of the pin for maintaining the legs parallel when so arranged, and a sheath-like member engaging the said head for limited movement longitudinally of the pin to a position engaging about said channel member to maintain the leg in closed position.

13. In a safety pin, an apertured head having a portion for receiving the end of the free leg of the pin, a sheath member extending about said head and movable longitudinally of the pin to provide a latch for said leg-receiving portion of the head, said sheath having a thumb depression in a wall adjacent the plane of the safety pin and adapted to engage in said aperture to resiliently maintain the sheath in latched position.

WILLIAM C. LOCKWOOD. 

